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Can-Am New Jersey Jackals

Jackals earn comeback win

July 10, 2008 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
New Jersey Jackals News Release


Little Falls, NJ - With the Brockton Rox leading 6-1 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, the New Jersey Jackals scored the game's final six runs to earn a 7-6 comeback win on Thursday night at Yogi Berra Stadium. CF Zack Smithlin led the charge on offense, going 3-5 with three RBIs including the game-winner in the bottom of the eighth inning. Brockton jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning off Jackals starter Aaron Tressler when 2B Melvin Falu walked and scored on a double by LF Jud Thigpen. In the bottom of the third inning, New Jersey countered when SS Casey Gordon walked and scored on an error by Rox 1B Francisco Lebron to tie the score at 1-1.

In the fourth inning, Brockton plated three runs to re-gain the lead at 4-1. 3B Phillip Cuadrado led off with a double and scored three batters later on an RBI double by CF Ervin Alcantara. After the second run of the inning scored a batter later when Rox RF Eugene Julien reached on an error by Jackals 3B Chris Kelly, SS Dominic Ramos lifted a sacrifice fly to plate Alcantara. In the top of the sixth, the Rox scored two more runs on an RBI single by C Lee Rubin and a Ramos sacrifice groundout to extend their lead to five at 6-1. Brockton starting pitcher Wayne Lundgren, who entered the game with an 8.13 ERA in five road starts this season, allowed just two hits and one unearned run through the first five innings before the Jackals began to rally in the bottom of the sixth innings. New Jersey plated two runs in the sixth when 2B Bryant Nelson and DH Luke Allen started the inning with back-to-back singles before Kelly laced a double off the wall in left-center to cut the Jackals deficit to 6-3.

In the bottom of the seventh, the first two Jackals' batters reached, allowing Smithlin to double home two runs on a hard liner down the third base line past a diving Cuadrado to pull New Jersey within one at 6-5. The Smithlin double chased Lundgren from the game. With reliever Jacob Ramos in the game in the eighth inning, New Jersey evened the contest at 6-6 on a Gordon RBI single, which Smithlin followed with a run-scoring base knock to give the Jackals their first lead of the night.

In the top of the ninth, Falu singed with one out before Jackals closer Rusty Tucker induced Thigpen to hit into a game-ending 6-4-3 double play as New Jersey escaped with the victory. New Jersey reliever Michael Vicaro (5-3) earned the victory, tossing a scoreless eighth inning. Ramos (3-2) took the loss, surrendering two runs on three hits in two innings. Tucker earned his eleventh save of the season, which ties him for the Can-Am League lead in that category. For the Jackals, Tressler lasted six innings and allowed six runs - four earned - on eight hits while striking out three and walking one. Lundgren also allowed four earned runs over six innings.

The Jackals and Rox continue their four-game series tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. when Juan Done takes the hill for New Jersey against Brockton's Stevie Delabar at Yogi Berra Stadium. If you can't make it out to the ballpark, you can catch every inning via live webcast at www.jackals.com with the broadcast beginning five minutes prior to first pitch.

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